Printing-press-control mechanism



- April 27 1926.

1,582,576 E. CHESHIRE PRINTING PRESS CONTROL MEQHANISH Filed Jan. 5. 1922 :s Sheets-Sheet 1 Ap il 27 1926.

. 1,582,576 E. CHESHIRE I PRINTING mass CONTROL mzcrmmsu Filed Jan. 3', 1922 SSheets-Sheet'g Edward 6/265/26/6,

A ril 27 1926. E. CHESHIRE PRINTING PRESS CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Jan. 3, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 MUM t I '2? Patented Apr. 2?, ltlZti.

nrrserr EDWARD CHESHIRE, fill" BERLIN TOVINSHIP, 'WISGONSIN, A$SIGNOR TO MIEHLE PRINTING ERESS MANUFACTURING CGIVIPANY, .OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PRINTING-PRESS-CONTROL MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Crrnsnmii, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berlin To vnship, in the county of \Vaukesha and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing :Press- Control Mechanism, of which the followin is a specification. I

This invention relates to printing presses and more particularly to means for automatically stopping the operating parts of the printing press under certain predetermined conditions. i

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 329,976, filed October 11, 1919, among other things, 1 discloZed means for automatically operating an electrical switch for stopping the printing .press under certain predetermined conditions. More specifically insaid co-pending application I disclosed yer-tical printing press in which the cylinder and type bed are mounted for reciprocatory movements in opposite directions, sheet matertial being fed from a stock pile to a transfer table and deposited thereon when the cylinder is in its upper position, the sheet deposited upon the transfer table covering openings therein resulting in a plunger being thrust outwardly due to the action of a vacuum, such being preliminary to the downward movement of the cylinder and likewise adow ward movement of the transfor table. it the lower limit of moven'ient of the cylinderand the transfertable, the sheet material is fed from the transfer table to the-cylinder, whereupon during the next upward moye entof the cylinder the sheet receives an impression. lVhen' the sheet is fed from the transfer table to the cylinder the openings on the transfer table become uncovered, thereby destroying the vacuum so far as holdingthe plunger outwardly in a manner to cause an opening of the electric switch and stopping the whole operation of the machine is concerned. If, however, the sheet of material is not fed from'the transfertable to the cylinderat their lower limits of movement this plunger, which is carried by the cylinder, will pass into engagement with the electric switch during the nextupward movement of the cylinder, for breaking the circuit and stopping the operation of the printing press. In my present application I wish to accomplish the automatic stopping of the printing press by mechanical means different from the means disclosed in my said copendin application.

One object of the present invent-ion is to automatically stop the operation of the various parts of the press by simple, ellicient and improved means which is reliable at all times.

Another object is to provide a niechanica automatic stop for printing presses adapted to meet the various requirements for successful commercial use.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in

which- Figure 1 a fragmentary side elevation of printing press embodying my invention and showing the parts in their'normal operating positions;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same printing press showing the press in a tripped position after the automatic stop mechanism has been operated to stop further operation of the printing press;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken in the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail View, parts "being in section, and taken in the plane of line sl l of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 a fragmentary top plan view of a transfer table forn'iing a part of the printing press.

The various novel features of the invention willhe apparent from the following description and drawings, and will beparticularly pointed out. in the appended claims.

For a general description and complete operation of the type of printing press hereinvolved attention is directed to my co-pending application hereinabove referred to. Only those parts which are essential to the complete understanding of this invention will he specifically referred to herein.

Briefly the printing press includes a frame in which is jouriialed a shaft 11 carrying a pulley 12 around which a belt 13 passes, said belt also passing around a pulley lt on the shaft 15 of the driving motor 16 which is suitably supported on a bracket 17 secured to 01' forming a part of the frame 10. The shaft 1.1 has secured thereto a gear 18wh1ch meshes with and drives another gear 19 mounted upon a shaft 20, to which is also secured a gear 21 meshing with and driving another gear 22. This latter gear is mounted upon a crank shaft by means of which the cylinder frame 2% and its cylinder 25 are reciprocated in a vertical direction. Through the driving mechanism mounted on shaft 20 the type bed, not shown, but which cooperates with the cylinder 25 in the printing operation, is reciprocated in a vertical direction and in an opposite sense to that of the cylinder 25.

Ihrough suitable mechanism including transfer arms 26 and suction shoe or gripper means 9? carried thereby, sheets of material are fed one by one from a stock pile not shown, to a transfer table 28 carried by the cylinder frame Q-l. As mentioned above in connection with my aforesaid co-pending application, when a sheet of material is depos ited upon the transfer table 28 suction openings 28 thereon are covered by said sheet, re sulting in an outward movementof the plunger 29, best shown in Figure 3. This plunger forms a part of a fluid pressure mechanism mounted 011 or carried by the cylinder frame 24, it being understood that the suction extends through a pipe 30 and overcomes the action of a coiled spring 31 cooperating with the plunger 29 and tends to force the latter inwardly when suction is destroyed.

Let it he assumed that the parts of the printing press are arranged as shown in Figure l of the drawings, and that a sheet of material has been placed upon the transfer table 28.. causing suction to be extended through the pipe 30 and causing the plunger 29 to move outwardlly into the dotted line position shown in Figure 8. Under such conditions, during the next downward movement of the cylinder 25, its frame 2% and associated parts, including the plunger 99, the latter moves into engagement with the upper surface of one arm 32 of a trip member pivotallv mounted at 3-1 on an upstanding arm of a latch 36 pivotally mounted at ST. This latch 36 has a slot 38 which, under normal operating conditions receives a laterally extending arm 39 of a belt tightener quadrant lO which is pivotally mounted at l1 and the teeth 42 of which normally are engaged by a spring pressed pawl 43 carried on a lever ll which also carries a tightener or idler pulley which normally holds the belt in tact condition whereby the operating parts of the printing press may be driven by the motor 10. Going back to the plunger 29 and following it as the same is lowered with the cylinder and its frame under the. conditions stated, the plunger slides down over the top of arm 32 of the trip member causing the latter to pivot in a clockwise direction, thereby not tripping the stop mechanism and not changing the driving relationship between the motor and the operatmg parts of the press. Let it he assumed that the cylinder has reached its lower lmnt of movement and that at such lower limit of movement the sheet of material on the transfer table 28 has been transferred to the cvlinder 25 preparatory to an upward movement of the cylinder during which the sheet receives is impression. The openings 28 in the transfer table under such conditit uncovered, thereby permitting the s M to move the plunger 29 inwardly, so that it will escape the trip member during the upward increment of the plan; 29 as it is raised with the cylinder me. :anism. however, the sheet of mate ial has not been transferred from the tl'flllfi'itl table 28 to the cylinder when they were at their lower limits of movement, the openings 28 in the transfer table remain covered, and as a result the plunger 29 either remains in its outward tripping position or is again forced into said outward position for tripping purposes before the time that the plunger had passed vertically upwardly beyond the trip 32 during the next upward movement of the cylinder mechanism. Under such circumstances. the plunger 29 moves into engagement with the lower surface of the arm 23:2 of the trip member 83. as shown in Figure 2, causing the latch, through its engageu'ient with the weighted part -l-t3 of the trip member, to pivot in a counterclockwise direction against the tension of a coil spring 1LT, thereby releasing the quadrant which, as a result of the tension in the then taut belt 13-}, swings in a counterclocli'wise direction, releasing the pawl 4-3 from the teeth 4-2 of the quadrant and thereby pern'iitting the lever ll ca rying the belt tightening pulley -l-3, to swing in a countercloclnvise direction, causing the driving belt 13 to become slacl; with re' -pect to the pulleys l2 and ll and thera tusing: driving of the operating parts of the printing press to be automatically and immediately discontinued. The cotmtercloclnvise pivotal movement of the quadrant i is limited by an adjustable stop mechanism -lS and the countercloclzwise pivotal movement of the lever if is limited by a stop member -19. dhen the plunger 29 move-' vertically upwardly out of engagement with the arm 12 of trip member 33 he spring l? autmnatically moves the latch 36 into its normal position, as shown in Figure 1.

To reset the automatic stop mechanism prepartory to starting the pre in operation again, the latch 36 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Fi ure whereupon the quadrantlO is pi d in a clockwise direction until its arm 3-) is directly over the slot 38 in the latch 36, whereupon the latch 36 is freed to permit the spring at? to move the latch 36 upwardly so that its slot 38 receives and retains the quad- If. i

lot

til

rant in locked or normal operating position. The lever 44 may then be swung in a clockwise direction for gradually tightening the belt as the press is started into operation, and finally locking the lever 44 in proper operating position by engagement of the pawl 43 with any one of the tQGllllQOf the quadrant 40. By means of this simple automatic stop mechanism the press may be stopped quickly and again started quickly in a manner to meet all the requirements for successful commercial operation.

It is my intention to cover allinodifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means for operating same, a power transmitting belt connecting said printing means and driving means, automatically actuated means operatively engageable with said power transmitting belt for controlling the transmission of power between said printing means and driving means, and means controlled by the feeding of a sheet toward said printing means for in turn controlling said automatically actuated means.

2. In a printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means for operatlng same, power transmitting means connecting said printing means and driving means and including a belt, means whereby said belt normally is maintained taut whereby power is transmitted from said driving means to said printing means, and means dependent upon certain predetermined sheet feeding conditions of the printing press whereby said belt may become slackened' for stopping the transmission of power from said driving means to said printing means.

3. In a printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means, means for transmitting power from said driving means to said printing means including a belt, means normally maintaining said belt taut for causing said printing means to be driven, and trip means operated in response to certain predetermined sheet feeding conditions of the press for causing said belt to become slackened and thereby stopping the transmission of power from said driving means to said printing means.

l. In a printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means therefor,

power transmission means connecting said printing means and driving means and including a belt, a lever carrying an idler pulley which, when in a given position, causes said belt to be taut for the trans-- mission of power, and means for tripping said lever in response to certain predetermined sheet feeding conditions of the press for permitting said belt to slacken and thereby stopping further transmission of power between said driving means and. printing means.

5. In a printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means for operating same, power transmission means connecting said printing means and driving means and including a belt, a lever carrying an idler pulley, quadrant mechanism having operative association with said lever normally for holding said idle pulley in engagement with the belt for mantaining the latter taut for the transmission of power between said driving means and printing means, latch mechanism operatively associated with said quadrant mechanism, trip mechanism operable upon said latch mechanism and operated in accordance with sheet feeding conditions of the printing press for controlling the position of said lever and thereby the transmission of power from said driving means to said printing means.

6. Ina printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means for operating same, power transmitting means connecting said printing means and driving means, a transfer table to which sheet material may be fed, and means dependent upon whether or not sheet material is on the transfer table at a given time,-.for cooperating with said power transmitting means for controlling the transmission of power between said printing means and driving means.

7. In a printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means, a power transmitting belt connecting said printing means and driving means, a transfer table associated with said printing means, and means operative upon said power transmission belt whereby the press is stopped when a sheet of material remains on the transfer table after it should have passed to said printing means.

8. In a printing press, the combination of printing means, driving means for operating same, a power transmitting belt connecting said printing means and driving means, a transfer table associated with said printing means, and means cooperating with said power transmitting belt whereby the press is stopped when a sheet of material remains on the transfer table after a predetermined length of time during the operation of the press.

Signed at New Berlin, Visconsin, this 8th day of December, 1921.

ED WARD CHESHIRE. 

